Book Your Perfect Accommodation in Antigua & Barbuda

Climate

Antigua and Barbuda has a tropical climate, hot and humid all year round, with a relatively cool and dry season from January to mid-April, and a hot, humid and rainy season from mid-June to mid-November. In the former period, the northeast trade winds, constant winds typical of tropical climates, blow steadily and with moderate intensity, while in the latter period the winds are more irregular, and may have some breaks, increasing the feeling of sultriness.

The rainfall is not so abundant, because the islands are pretty flat; the only elevation of some importance is Mount Obama, 402 meters (1,319 feet) high, in the southwest of the island of Antigua. You can divide the year into two periods, one dry from January to June, and the other rainy from July to December. The rainiest period runs from August to November, while the driest months are February and March.

The best time to visit Antigua and Barbuda goes from December to April, being the driest and the least hot, in particular, the months of February and March are the least rainy of all. In May, both heat and moisture increase, but the rains are not yet abundant (except in certain years), and we are still out of the hurricane season. In the summer months, August and September are a bit rainier in comparison with June and July, and even hurricanes are more likely.

Getting Here

VC Bird Airport (ANU) for international flights

Ports at St John's Harbour, Crabbs Marina and English Harbour for cruise ships and sailing entry

Book your flights to Antigua & Barbuda

Good to know

CAR Renting a vehicle is a great way to keep your flexibility whilst away, giving you the opportunity to visit any place you want at any time, and to enjoy yourself as long as you want to, without having to worry about the tight schedule of public transports. Visitors wishing to rent a car in Antigua will be required to provide a valid driving license from their own country, as well as purchase a temporary Antiguan license, which costs around US$20 and can be obtained via the rental agency. Expect a daily cost of about US$40 to US$50 per day for your vehicle.

SEA If you wish to take a trip to Barbuda, hop on the Barbuda Express and reach your destination in 90 minutes, leaving from St John’s and available 5 days a week.

BUS Antigua offers a network of public transport serving points of interest and amenities such as markets and supermarkets. The best way to find out about the services available near your accommodation is to ask your hotel for schedules and routes.

TAXI If you wish to travel around the island without having to rely on public transport, taxi services can be a great way to keep your flexibility without the daily cost of having to rent a car. You will find taxis available throughout Antigua, with fixed fares between the airport, harbour and many hotels – for example, a trip from VC Bird International Airport to Nelsons Dockyard costs around US$21. Most taxi drivers are also great tour guides who would be happy to arrange a special tour fitted to your needs.

History of Antigua & Barbuda

Most Antiguan people are of African lineage, descendants of slaves brought to the island centuries ago to labour in the sugarcane fields. The first settlements, dating from about 2400 B.C., were those of the Siboney people (an Arawak word meaning "stone-people"). Beautifully crafted shell and stone tools have been found at dozens of sites around the island. Long after the Siboney had moved on, Antigua was settled by the pastoral, agricultural Arawaks (35-1100 A.D.); the first well documented group of people that paddled to the Island from present-day Venezuela.